Beet-harvester.



L. I. MINATO.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED HAY B4, 1910. H 993,704. Patented May 30, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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awn/Mow L. I. MINATO.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLIOATIOR nun MAY 24, 1910.

Patented May 30, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. I. MINATO. BEET HARVESTBR. APPLICATION iILED MAY 24, 1910.

Patented May 30, 1911.

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Wibneoo'ao L. I. MINATO.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24. 1910.

Patented May 30; 1911.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

1% h l c soc-s porting the cutting blade and the adjunct 'skilled'in the art to practice the same, and

LONGHAIR I. MINATO, OF PLANO, IDAHO.

BEET-HABVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application filed May 24, 1910. Serial No. 563,199.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that .I, LONGHAIR INAO Mrx'x'ro, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plano, in the county of Fremont, State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a harvesting machine and more particularlyto the class of beet harvesting machines. V

The'primary object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character in which the tops of beet plants will be cut off and removed from the row as the machine is being advanced through a crop.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character in which the parts thereof are automatic in their action and cooperate with each other to facilitate the proper working of the machinti as the same is being advanced'through a fie. d.

With these'and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, to enable those as pointed outin the claims hereunto appended. i

In the drawings :F1gurc 1 1s a top plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the machine. Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view on the line l1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the plow frame and its plows for removing the beets from the ground, the said frame being removed from the machine. Fig. (i is an enlarged transverse sectional view through one of the verticalstandards supparts. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7---? of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several riews in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by niuncrals, 10

designates generally the main frame of the machine .wlnch is preferably of rectangularshape and has fixed to its side beams 11, cenupon the rear cross beam 17, of the main frame is a seat post 18, carrying a seat 19, to beoccupied by an operator of the machine.

Fixcd to the main frame 10, on its side which are journaled the ends of crank shafts 21, which latter have connected thereto by bearings 22, a supplemental frame 23, the latter being supported in a lane below the main frame and this supp emental frame has its side beams at their forward ends forwardly converging as at 24', to form a contracted front end to the supplemental frame, and to the forward portions of the side beams of the latter are adjustably connected by clips 25, vertical standards 26, 'the lower extremities of which are formed with laterally projccting stud axles 27, supporting ground wheels 28, and to the inner faces of these standards 26, are fixed hollow guide tubes 2t), which contain elongated guide slots :30, in which are slidably'mounted the reduced extremities of a beet topping knife blade 31, disposed horizontally-between the standards. \Vhen the plow points meet with a boulder the supplemental frame will give' so as to elevate the points but the supplemental frame will not move when the plow points engage with the soil as the weight of the frame and the members carried thereby would overcome the resistance of the soil or ground. 4

Located within the tubes 29, are plunger rods 32, to the lower ends'of which are fixed the reduced extremities of the cutting blade :21, the lower ends of the plunger rods being enlarged to form annular shoulders 33, serving as bearings for the lower ends of coiled expansion springs surrounding the plunger rod 15;. and having their upper ends bearing against the upper closed terminals of the guide tubes 39, supported by the standards.

Mounted in suitable bearings upon the beams 11, are spaced alining bearings 20, in

standards 2 6,- above the plane of the blade 1 31,'is a horizontally disposed beater shaft 35, having a plurality of rows of beater fingers 36, and fixed to one end of thls shaft 35, is a gear wheel 37, mesh ng with a gear 38, fixed to or integral with one of the ground. wheels 28, so that motion from the I latter will be imparted to thebeater shaft.

Diagonally' disposed across the supple mental frame 23, in rear of the knife blade 31, is a fender or guard plate 39, the latter being'vertically disposed and adapted to act 'upon the severed beet 'tops to disperse the downwardly converging supporting brack-- same to one 'side'of the machine during its advancement through a field; I

Depending from and fixed to the s1de beams of the supplemental frame 23, are

ets 40, the latter, having fixed to their lower ends forwardly converging inclined plow beams 41, to the forward extremlties of whlch are detachably fixed plow points 42, the latter adapted to cut into or penetrate the earth cured to the plow beams 41 and extendingv for lifting or removing beets therefrom, the

said shares being disposed in rear of the fender or guard plate 39, carried by the supplemental frame of the machine. Se-

rearwardly thereof are rearwardly converging and forwardly inclmed extension pieces 43, forming beet puller means, which latter forward end by a wheeled axle 50, the same having fixed thereto a sprocket wheel 51, over whichis trained a sprocket cham 52,

which isalso trained over asprocket wheel 53, the latter actuating a gear 54, which imparts movement to the endless elevator or conveyer 45, during the forward travel of the'machine.

It is obvious that the cutter blade 31, is held under tension and is capable of vertical adjustment in the guide tubes 29, and in this manner the said blade may adjust itself with respect to the irregularityin the surface of the ground during the operation of the machine. When the blade 31 engages a small hill it will be elevated thereby and after it passes this bill it will be forced into its normal position by the spring in the tube 29 which is secured at its lower end to the plunger rod 32 and at its upper end to the tube 29.

In operation. presuming the machine is being advanced through a field along the row of growing beet plants, the cutter blade 31. will sever the tops of the plants which will be subsequently dispersed to one side of the row by the fender or guard plate 39,

and by the disposition of the shares 42, the

42 and which serve to break up earth plowed up by the plow points.

. Carried by the supplemental frame 23 near its forward end is a vertical stem 56 supporting at its lower end a rotatable gage roller or disk 57 the stem 56 being suitably lixed in a swiveled sleeve 58 carried by one side beam of the supplemental frame and this stem also passes through a further swiveled sleeve 59 carried, by the main frame of the machine. Rising from one side beam of the main frame 10 is a toothedsegment 60 to which latter is pivotally connected an adjustin'g lever 61 the same carrying the usual manually operable spring controlled locking dog or pawl 62 for engagement with the' said segment and the forward end of this lever 61 is provided with a slot in which is engaged an outwardly extending pivot 63 fixed to the upper end of the stem 56 so that on movement of the adjusting lever the said stem may be raised or lowered to position the plow points relative to the ground, the

adjusting lever being normally locked in adjusted position by the pawl or dog 62. The roller or disk 57 is provided to enable the driver to guide the machine in parallel paths over the ground and said roller or disk penetrates but slightly into the ground so as to offer little resistance to the forward movement of the vehicle.

Secured to the rear end of the main frame is a hanger 64carrying a step 65 which enables an operator to mount the seat 19 on the main frame.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. In a beet harvester machine a wheeled main frame, a supplemental frame loosely hung from the latter, vertically adjustable standards mounted at the forward end of the supplemental frame, ground wheels journaled on the standards, guide means fixed to the standards, a cutter blade horizontally disposed between the standards and vertically adjustable in the guide means, and means tensioning the cutter blade.

2. In a beet harvester machine a wheeled main frame, a supplemental frame loosely hung from the latter, vertically adjustable standards mounted at the forward end of the supplemental frame, ground wheels journaled on the standards, cutter means carried by the supplemental frame, and deflector means in rear of the cutter means and supported by the supplemental frame.

3. In a beet harvester machine a wheeled main frame, a supplemental frame loosely hung from the latter, vertically adjustable standards mounted at the forward end of the supplemental frame, ground wheels "burnaled on the standards, guide means xed to the standards, a cutter blade horizontally disposed between the standards and ver- .tically adjustable in the guide means, means for tensioning the cutter blade, deflector means in rear of the blade and supported by the supplemental frame, and plows fixed to the latter frame in rear of the deflector means.

4. In a beet harvester, a wheeled main frame, a supplemental frame suspended by the main frame, cutter means carried on the forward end of the supplemental frame, and a fender carried by the supplemental frame rearwardly of the cutter means.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LONGHAIR I. MINATO.-

Witnesses:

TAMI J no, K. MOYEDO. 

